PCC’s Blasinsky & Vincentian’s Chen Win WPIAL Boys Singles Tennis Titles

By: Bruce Markey
Tuesday, April 16, 2013 | 10:32 PM

Rain forced the 2013 WPIAL Boys Singles Tennis Championships indoors to the Lakevue Racquet Club in Valencia where two new champions were crowned. here is a recap of the Class AAA and Class AA championship finals, plus a look at the two consolation matches.

AAA Championship: Adam Blasinsky (Pittsburgh Central Catholic) over Peter Hazlett (Mount Lebanon) 6-2, 6-1. 

For the second year in a row, Pittsburgh Central Catholic's Adam Blasinsky won a match at the WPIAL Tennis Championships. This year though, he had to earn the win and it was for a a gold medal. Blasinsky, a Junior, used a punishing serve and forceful, aggressive play to defeat Mount Lebanon's Peter Hazlett 6-2, 6-1 to claim the AAA crown. A year ago, Blasinsky won the AAA Consolation match over North Allegheny's Kevin Goth, who was forced to forfeit due to injury. The win for Blasinsky officially dethrones Butler's Will Nesbit as reigning WPIAL AAA Champion. Nesbit had won the previous two years. Blasinsky will now move on to the PIAA Championships. 

AAA Consolation: Caleb Kramer (Pine-Richland) over Fernando Escribens (Upper St. Clair) 6-4, 6-4.

In the longest match of the day, Pine-Richland's Caleb Kramer out-battled USC's Fernando Escribens, winning the AAA Consolation match 6-4, 6-4. Unfortunately for Kramer, the win does not qualify him for the PIAA Championships, as the WPIAL only sends the top two finishers in AAA. Kramer, a Junior, and Escribens, a Sophomore, could very well meet again next year, as this was their first time in the WPIAL playoffs. 

AA Championship: Derek Chen (Vincentian) over Jake Mascaro (Thomas Jefferson) 6-1, 6-0. 

The largest score differential match of the day resulted in a WPIAL Championship for Vincentian Sophomore Derek Chen, who used a strong forehand and intelligent play to defeat a bigger, stronger Jake Mascaro 6-1, 6-0. Mascaro, who is also a Wide Receiver on Thomas Jefferson football team, was often forced into mistakes by the crafty Chen, who made his debut in the WPIAL playoffs this season and will now take the step into the PIAA Championships. For Mascaro, a Senior, the 2013 tennis season was a great turnaround, as he only reached the AA Section 5 Quarterfinals in 2012.

AA Consolation: Matt Lynch (Bentworth) over Bargo Patel (Greensburg Central Catholic) 6-1, 6-4. 

In a match nearly identical to the WPIAL AA Section 1 Championship, Bentworth's Matt Lynch defeated GCC's Bargo Patel 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the PIAA Championships as the 3rd Place finisher from the WPIAL. It was the second time the two had met in the postseason, as Lynch beat Patel 6-2, 7-6 (6-2) in the sectional playoffs. Lynch, who lost to Hampton's Brad Cisek in the 2012 Consolation match and the 2011 First Round, finally broke through to reach the PIAA Championships.       

Tags: Vincentian Academy